Episode 5 consisted a couple fairly short and sweet events, and the last one consisted Matthew finally having his wholesome doting dad-moment!
The first one, okay well it wasn’t exactly the “sweetest” considering it consisted Anne breaking her ankle. She had been playing Truth or Dare with the girls, including one new face we haven’t really interacted yet was Josie. She was the one who suggested the game, and very much was looking to have a winning streak. It started off as harmless trivial dares, like hoping around the garden on one foot, then began to evolve into more riskier challenges, where Anne didn’t like to see Diana failing the challenge dared Josie to like walking atop of a fence (she succeeded). Josie in return then suggested a far more dangerous challenge: Walk on the ridgepole of the roof. She had thought Anne would think twice about doing something so reckless. But who are we kidding? Anne’s stubborn as a bull, of course she accepted that challenge. Contrary to her flowery words: “I shall walk it or perish in attempt”, she certainly didn’t seriously consider the weight of it. And lo and behold, the second she starts walking atop, she loses her balance, goes flying off the roof. And there was no bed of magical flowers to cushion the landing, nor prince charming there to catch her. She like any child doing something reckless faced real consequences of suffering a brutally heavy fall, and quite frankly got off lucky with only breaking her ankle. It undoubtedly could’ve been far worse than that.
And that left her forced to take six weeks of rest. Oh indeed, it’s a good thing she has a vast imagination, beyond having visitors to talk to and books to read, she’d be bored out of her mind if she didn’t have that.
After several weeks of recovery, Anne finally returns to school to meet their new teacher Miss Stacy (who replaced Mr. Phillips). She is a very lively and adventurous woman who Anne and the girls have taken great liking to. One day Miss Stacy, suggested to organize a Christmas concert and raise funds for a school flag. The students were very excited for the event, but we did see how some adults (such as Marilla) frowning about it because they feel like the time can be better used for purposely education.
Anyhow, leading up to the Christmas concert is what brought about the next event that involves Matthew for an exchange.
Now we all know Matthew’s been very much quietly working behind the scenes running the errands of managing the property, giving Anne treats and stepping in to help out ease tensions when needed. But this episode, we got to see him really embrace just being a doting father, and it was the most wholesome thing ever.
Matthew has long noticed that Anne really wants a puffed-sleeve dress. And with the concert approaching and Anne practising for her part, Matthew sets about on a mission to make her dream come true.
As Marilla has noted, Matthew is very shy, especially around women. So it took a lot of courage for Matthew to go to the general store and ask for a puffed-sleeve dress. The poor guy was so anxious that he kept buying things he didn’t need which stalled the process, but in the end, he just couldn’t do it. But he didn’t give up! Matthew decided to seek Rachel for some help. And sure enough, it was left in the right hands, because on Christmas morning, he gifted Anne the puffed-sleeve dress she had always dreamed and longed to wear, and for her school’s Christmas concert to boot. Better yet, it’s one she can grow into.
Even more endearingly, we saw Matthew rooting for Anne from the crowd when she found herself overwhelmed by the audience, and had unexpectedly faced a brief moment of stage-fright. Seeing Matthew mouthing her the encouraging words gave her the courage to complete her monologue. These are little things, but they are undeniably the most precious and invaluable moments they can all fondly look back to.
But there were two other things that came out of this event. One, which was Marilla and Matthew recognizing that Anne is such a bright child, that they’d like to give her the best education they can, and begun talking about what it’d take to send her to Queen’s.
And finally, the last interesting thing that happened at the end of the concert. Anne’s fallen flower– which some may have taken as a bad omen initially, ended up being picked up by a dishearten-faced Gilbert. Interestingly Diana alluded that she thinks Gilbert actually likes Anne, but of course, Anne didn’t want to hear it!
A/N: Just a quick note, so originally I was going to double-post episode 5 and 6 together. But before I knew it ep 5 entry actually ended up longer than I had anticipated it to be. So I decided since I’m the only one blogging this season, and the episodes are not direct continuation of an on-going event, it’d be okay to just post them separately. So here’s a shortcut to jump to Anne Shirley Episode 6 Review!
